Diary of a farang in Isaan

[owl sees all]

17 minutes ago, Odysseus123 said:

Trees...radio masts,..pink trilby's..underground bunkers...and a slightly wonky Frenchman.

What is there not to like?????

Yes!

 

But Voulez Vous is definitely not 'wonky'.

 

When we first met, he told me about French men being the world's great lovers. I was somewhat skeptical of this at first. But over the course of time - mostly through observing his successes - I have come to appreciate his words.

 

Of course us English, especially those from Essex, have noteworthy traits of their own. But servicing a dozen ladies at the same time is not one.

 

But!!!! I plead guilty to loving trees and wearing a pink trilby. In fact Mildred wore it for her two YT vids.

 

 

 

Edited January 16, 2021 by owl sees all

[Odysseus123]

It has been said (somewhat sententiously I suppose) that in it's heyday "The sun never set on the pink trilby..."

[FarFlungFalang]

52 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

Yes!

 

But Voulez Vous is definitely not 'wonky'.

 

When we first met, he told me about French men being the world's great lovers. I was somewhat skeptical of this at first. But over the course of time - mostly through observing his successes - I have come to appreciate his words.

 

Of course us English, especially those from Essex, have noteworthy traits of their own. But servicing a dozen ladies at the same time is not one.

 

But!!!! I plead guilty to loving trees and wearing a pink trilby. In fact Mildred wore it for her two YT vids.

 

 

 

I had to replay the vid to assure myself that Mildred was giving the piece salute and not the single digit.The Trilby seemed to fit her well which would indicate she has inherited dad's large number of brain cells.The bicycle sidecar is a wonderful thing, so much so that our daughter adopted ours.

Edited January 16, 2021 by FarFlungFalang

[sotonowl]

Years ago, when I was on the April Fools (I've always been in the welding, fabrication, pipework business) we'd just grab any old welding screen when we were tacking things up (when we was allowed to tack things up that is). I have to admit here and now, whenever I donned a screen, I have never had to tighten the adjuster, I've always had to open it up more.????

[owl sees all]

Owl Log - 17-01-2021 - Sunday morning

 

Very dull this morning. Not seen the sun yet, now eleven thirty. Quite mild though. Fresh breeze.

 

Mrs Owl has been getting up at the same time as me all week; 06-05. Not Sat' or today though. Since her naughty brother has donned the robes she has been going out at seven to give food and get blessing.

 

 

Teaching 'em young.

 

 

Dogs don't see the point in it all. All they want is to have the occasional rumble and harass farangs; and monks.

 

 

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Where all the students wait by the road, for their school bus pick up, has been a danger to me. The corner of the roof had lowered itself and would have got me about eyebrow height if I were careless. A fix was in order.

 

Put in a two metre bamboo and tied it. That lifted the whole corner significantly.

 

 

I don't normally dress like this, but it felt quite cold' even for the village farang.

 

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Couldn't help snapping a very messy front garden.

 

 

I would offer to clear all the junk for them, but Mrs Owl would probably throw a strop; so 'no'.

 

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The eucas at the farm are doing well and in a couple of years will be at the wholesaler's yard. Price at the mo' 950 baht a tonne.

 

 

Found a euca shop just outside Phen.

 

 

These are for scaffolding, roof builds and general hut structures.

 

 

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A water tank that had been built before I arrived. That's about 13 years ago now. Someone's project still on hold. Typical of Isaan; grand ideas falling to disrepair. Maybe a farang plan? Unfulfilled dreams!

 

 

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Nice moata guv'.

 

 

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Mrs Owl's grandson has been occasionally staying with us. Showed him the pleasures of koi carp feeding.

 

 

He is quite good. Better than his cousin Wow, whose pellets don't seem to reach the water.

 

 

And here they are.

 

 

 

 

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Got my grubber disk back from Fix Kola. Have to get the attachments and we are ready to rock and roll.

 

 

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Just love the farm. Surrounded by beautiful nature. Looking North from farm-house. Mrs Owl in there somewhere.

 

 

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Mango to the left; avocado right. Nearly ready for transferring to concrete rings.

 

 

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Just walked to Nang's shop to get lottery. 45k baht coming my way very soon. Back to the hat shop? Koi carp market stall next Thursday? My head is spinning at the potential that a few spare baht can offer.

 

Another death in the village. Not an old un. 46 years old. A man from a farming family, who had been sick for 20 years. Don't know what killed the guy, but I don't think the dangers of insecticide and pesticide were so well known back then. I'd like to think I've had a small input into safety awareness and general 'look-after-yourself' measures. RIP fella.

 

Can United keep it going? A win at Anfield would boost their claims. My fav' team had a good 2-0 home win yesterday. Be nice to see them back in the top flight for the first time in 60 years. Smashing up the biggies. Dreams!

 

More to follow.

 

Bye y'all.

 

 

Edited January 17, 2021 by owl sees all

[owl sees all]

Milly was doing some school work and when I picked her up she asked me what was my favourite tree. I had a little think and said that it could be the Udon giant. But there was a tree, that I saw a few times a week, back in England. 

 

An absolute beauty.

 

 

Chilean Pine or better known as a 'Monkey Puzzle'. I showed Mildred the pic and she liked it too. "Strange tree" she said.

 

So two favourites. But if my avocado tree, grown from seed, starts to give fruit, there could be three!

 

 

Edited January 17, 2021 by owl sees all

[FarFlungFalang]

I love the way they utilise the dak dak engines and gerry built cars,they even bung them into old car bodies.Unsung is the contribution us Crusty Old Kents (using the acronym may cause  deletion) make to safety here and most of my advice is only taken years later when Thais officials give the same advice.I remember on one of my first trips from Bangers to here Misses Flung won 40k baht using the numbers from the number plate of our new Tiger (Thai bike with Honda motor) we were transporting to the village,sadly the Tiger was mistreated and ended up in the scape heap a couple of years later it got the Isaan treatment.Am I destined to a similar fate?I'm pretty sure I am.

Edited January 17, 2021 by FarFlungFalang

[HighPriority]

4 hours ago, FarFlungFalang said:

I love the way they utilise the dak dak engines and gerry built cars,they even bung them into old car bodies.Unsung is the contribution us Crusty Old Kents (using the acronym may cause  deletion) make to safety here and most of my advice is only taken years later when Thais officials give the same advice.I remember on one of my first trips from Bangers to here Misses Flung won 40k baht using the numbers from the number plate of our new Tiger (Thai bike with Honda motor) we were transporting to the village,sadly the Tiger was mistreated and ended up in the scape heap a couple of years later it got the Isaan treatment.Am I destined to a similar fate?I'm pretty sure I am.

Hopefully spared the Isaan  treatment mate...

Edited January 17, 2021 by HighPriority

[FarFlungFalang]

9 minutes ago, HighPriority said:

Hopefully spared the Isaan  treatment mate...

I have on my back the scars which bare the multitude of evidence of my daily Isaan treatment which ,as yet, has not caused my demise and that which doesn't kill me makes me stronger and so I've attained the strength of Hercules,but it has been touch and go so often I shudder to think about it.Being a middle child of six has well equipped me to deal with Isaan treatment which pales into insignificance in comparison.

[HighPriority]

2 minutes ago, FarFlungFalang said:

I have on my back the scars which bare the multitude of evidence of my daily Isaan treatment which ,as yet, has not caused my demise and that which doesn't kill me makes me stronger and so I've attained the strength of Hercules,but it has been touch and go so often I shudder to think about it.Being a middle child of six has well equipped me to deal with Isaan treatment which pales into insignificance in comparison.

I’m the eldest of a second brood, I guess that makes me a middle child, and us soulmates... ????

[Lacessit]

Very cold in Chiang Rai at present, with morning fog thick enough to prevent the caddies seeing where our drives went.

This was the view over the putting green at Happy City a few days ago, the 15 storey condos behind the trees are only about 100 metres away.

[FarFlungFalang]

16 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Very cold in Chiang Rai at present, with morning fog thick enough to prevent the caddies seeing where our drives went.

This was the view over the putting green at Happy City a few days ago, the 15 storey condos behind the trees are only about 100 metres away.

"Play Misty For Me" comes to mind.  

[FarFlungFalang]

The day before yesterday at the height of a nasty tooth infection and in a foul mood I came to this thread and noticed an improvement in my mood which sparked a thought that's rattled around the vast emptiness of my lesser (by comparison) cranium which I thought I would share in an endeavor to stop the rattling.

"This thread is the haven into which I sail to shelter from the storm of insanity." 

Thanks Mr Owl.

PS,

The infection has healed after a fistful of Amoxycillin and Hydrogen Peroxide diluted in water mouth wash.

[voulez vous]

Mr Owl has another holiday. Back on the 22nd (Friday).

 

He asked me to post a couple of pictures on the thread.

 

Two of the village Buddha pond where there is construction occurring.

 

 

And two of the family farm.

 

First one looking east from the house.

 

 

Looking south.

 

 

He tells me he has snapped his wife's hand bag collection. Should be exciting!

 

 

[bluesofa]

2 minutes ago, voulez vous said:

Mr Owl has another holiday. Back on the 22nd (Friday).

Welcome back to Dairy Of A Frenchman In Isaan

[FarFlungFalang]

Perhaps this is an apt vid then.I can't find the version I have but it should be good enough.

 

 

Edited January 18, 2021 by FarFlungFalang

[bluesofa]

7 minutes ago, FarFlungFalang said:

Perhaps this is an apt vid then.I can't find the version I have but it's should be good enough.

I thought you might be going to post a video of Charles 'as-no-talent Aznavour.

[FarFlungFalang]

1 hour ago, voulez vous said:

Mr Owl has another holiday. Back on the 22nd (Friday).

Is this to be a weekly event or is Mr "Oh no he's done it again" throwing down the gauntlet of a "sin bin" challenge?If so he's got some stiff competition having recently returned from a 1 month sojourn swiftly followed by a 3 day event.

[FarFlungFalang]

1 hour ago, voulez vous said:

Two of the village Buddha pond where there is construction occurring.

Are they building a "holiday resort" for Mr Owl?

[faraday]

2 minutes ago, FarFlungFalang said:

Are they building a "holiday resort" for Mr Owl?

 

Already built it seems!

 

 

[FarFlungFalang]

1 minute ago, faraday said:

 

Already built it seems!

 

 

Touche Faraday,Touche.

[bluesofa]

1 minute ago, FarFlungFalang said:

1 hour ago, voulez vous said:

Two of the village Buddha pond where there is construction occurring.

Are they building a "holiday resort" for Mr Owl?

Just for him probably, the way he's been going, I think the solitary confinement wing must be finished soon?

I wonder which eight gramophone records he'll be choosing, along with the bible and Shakespeare?

Although Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance would no doubt beat the bible hands down for Owl.

[bluesofa]

6 minutes ago, faraday said:

 

Already built it seems!

 

 

Home to roost.

[voulez vous]

21 minutes ago, faraday said:

 

Already built it seems!

 

 

I know Mr Owl would like to live at the family farm.

 

Just waiting for electricity to arrive.

 

He really has been a bad Owl. Deserves all he gets for such bad-taste posting.

 

Or as we say in our parts:

 

^{Il ne faut pas se fier aux apparences}

You can’t judge a book by its cover.

 

Anyway! I'm off to see Antwonette for some love.

 

Edited January 18, 2021 by voulez vous

[FarFlungFalang]

4 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Although Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance would no doubt beat the bible hands down for Owl.

A wonderful read which I might have to do a refresher with now that I'm older and none the wiser!

[faraday]

5 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Home to roost.

 And Scottfree.

[bluesofa]

5 minutes ago, voulez vous said:

I know Mr Owl would like to live at the family farm.

 

Just waiting for electricity to arrive.

 

He really has been a bad Owl. Deserves all he gets for such bad taste.

Why does it remind me of, "He's not the Messiah, he's a very naughty owl."

[FarFlungFalang]

1 minute ago, bluesofa said:

Why does it remind me of, "He's not the Messiah, he's a very naughty owl."

Lucky he's not German or I would call him a Sauerkraut!

[bluesofa]

7 minutes ago, faraday said:

13 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Home to roost.

 And Scottfree.

Is that a book reference?

[bluesofa]

22 minutes ago, voulez vous said:

I know Mr Owl would like to live at the family farm.

 

Just waiting for electricity to arrive.

 

He really has been a bad Owl. Deserves all he gets for such bad-taste posting.

 

Or as we say in our parts:

 

^{Il ne faut pas se fier aux apparences}

You can’t judge a book by its cover.

 

Anyway! I'm off to see Antwonette for some love.

Ah, "Dit non plus."